Columnist: Troup, a land of opportunity; eating alone

When I got out of high school, West Georgia Technical College was opening and people said, “We will have a reason for people to stay in Troup County and get a job.”

They have been wonderful to everyone that has gone there over the years. Today at Kiwanis, our speaker, Mike Criddle (city of LaGrange economic development director) talked about the fact that over $1 billion of new projects were starting in Troup County.

Thousands of jobs will be coming here in the coming months! Yes, I am glad we are getting the companies coming to Troup County that will have jobs for our future. We will have new places to eat, new places to shop, new types of jobs – yes, Troup County is changing for the better.

Look at downtown today, Lafayette Square will never be the same. Tearing down an old building, and one of the finer hotels will replace it.

Change is coming, and I am proud to be able to watch it. We are no longer a textile town we are a growing community that smells and looks like a great place to live.

God has blessed us!!

• • •

Louise and I were at a party sitting by someone that we knew whose husband had died a few years ago.

She said, “When your mate dies so many of your friends drop you out of the circle. You’re just a third wheel.”

This really touched mine and Louise’s hearts. These were people we have known for 40 years but had never gone to dinner with, people we knew when we would see them out.

Louise and I talked about it and called her yesterday and said, “We are going out with friends, would you let us come by and pick you up for dinner.”

Last night was a lot of laughs. She was keeping both of us laughing about funny things that have happened in her life. We all had a great time and Louise is going with her to some social coming up.

One person got us laughing and then another lady told something that happened at church that made us all laugh till we cried. Moral of this story, we had more fun with the widow lady so invite someone that is living alone to go out with you. You may be the big winner.

This is a true story, I am not smart enough to make this up. We were the winners last night! I dare you to try it.

Proverbs 16:24 — “Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”